Korean car giant Hyundai has unveiled its latest electric model – and it has created a whole new EV category with its first ‘Aero Hatch’.
The new Ioniq 3 breaks from the SUV convention and is instead a sleek electric family car with a svelte body formed with one purpose in mind – to extend battery range.
Due to start from around £25,000 when it goes on sale this summer, it will go up against EV hatchback rivals like the VW ID.3, Cupra Born and MG4. But Hyundai will also hope to pinch sales from crossover-inspired family motors like Renault’s 4 and Skoda Elroq.
Under the skin is the same electric platform as its sister brand Kia’s EV2.
But while the boxier Kia can only go for up to 281 miles between charges, the Ioniq 3’s sharper bodywork means it can cover up to 309 miles on a full battery.
Impressively, it should offer more range for less money than some of its Chinese rivals, including the BYD Dolphin.
And, according to recent studies, the claimed range is enough for the average Briton to complete two weeks of commuting without needing to charge.
Hyundai new Aero Hatch: The Ioniq 3 arrives in the UK this summer with prices starting from around £25k. It has a svelte body designed to help boost driving range
Hyundai Ioniq 3 VS BYD Dolphin
HYUNDAI IONIQ 3
Price: Long Range likely sub-£30k
Seats: 5
Range: up to 309 miles
Battery size: 61kWh
Power: 132bhp
Drag coefficient: 0.26
Boot space: 441 litres
Dimensions (L/W/H/Wheelbase): 4,155mm/1,800mm/1,505mm/2,680mm
BYD DOLPHIN
Price: £30,230
Seats: 5
Range: up to 265 miles
Battery size: 60kWh
Power: 201bhp
Drag coefficient: 0.22
Boot space: 345 litres
Dimensions (L/W/H/Wheelbase): 4,290mm/1,770mm/1,570mm/2,700mm
Hyundai says the Aero Hatch has a silhouette that ‘optimises both aerodynamic efficiency and interior space’.
In a wind tunnel, it yields a drag coefficient [the rating given for how well it slices through the air, with a lower figure meaning better results] of just 0.26.
How does that compare to rivals? The smaller – but far chunkier – Renault 5 has a coefficient of 0.29, though the BYD Dolphin has a far better 0.22 rating.
Bosses say because the Ioniq 3 has a flat roofline over the heads of both front and rear occupants, it has better ‘interior roominess’ than most hatchbacks and should be among the most comfortable in its segment.
It’s low, sleek front end and the tapering roof section over the boot – which ends with a neatly-lipped rear spoiler – does all the hard work of easing the burden on the battery.
But because the plummeting roofline eats into the boot space, Hyundai has replicated the Ford Puma’s clever trick of integrating a ‘Megabox’ luggage compartment below the boot floor. As such, the Ioniq 3 has an impressive 441 litres of load capacity – that’s more than many cars in the segment above.
How slippery is it? In a wind tunnel, it yields a drag coefficient of just 0.26 – better than a Renault 5 EV
The BYD Dolphin is the Hyundai’s biggest EV rival from a Chinese brand. And the Chinese model is more aerodynamically proficient
Under its slippery bodywork is the option of two battery packs.
The smaller Standard Range version, which is 42kWh and linked to a 145bhp electric motor, will provide a driving range of just 208 miles for around £25,000. Accelerating from zero to 62mph should take around nine seconds.
But most customers are expected to upgrade to the Long Range variant with its 61kWh pack, which ups the possible range – according to official European tests – to 309 miles. This is partly aided by a detuned, and therefore less draining, 132bhp e-motor.
It means the Ioniq 3 will, in theory, have enough range to drive from London to Newcastle and still have 18 miles in reserve.
The Long Range model will come at a premium price, though customers can expect it to ring in at under £30k.
Hyundai hasn’t confirmed charging speeds yet but states that a 10 to 80 per cent recharge will take no longer than half an hour.
While the shape of the side windows suggest it has a coupe look, it actually has a completely flat roof, which makes it more aerodynamic
Because the roof is flat above the rear passengers, it should be the roomiest EV model in its segment
More range for less money than Chinese rival
The BYD Dolphin, which is its main rival from the new wave of Chinese car makers, can’t compete with the Ioniq 3 in terms of range per pound sterling.
The Chinese EV’s 64kWh battery (so, bigger than the Hyundai) returns just 265 miles from a full charge. And prices start from £30,230.
Exceeding 300 miles per charge is seen as a major threshold for car manufacturers selling electric passenger vehicles in the UK.
This is because it is just over double the distance of the average weekly mileage covered by drivers in the UK, according to a recent report.
Finance provider Close Brothers – using its own data – suggests the average Briton covers just 141 miles per week.
With cars like the Hyundai Ioniq 3 exceeding 300 miles, it says ‘the fear of running out of battery is increasingly decoupled from reality’.
When it polled 2,000 of its customers and asked them to estimate their weekly mileage, nearly three quarters (74 per cent) said they travel less than 150 miles per week, and three in five (59 per cent) cover fewer than 100 miles.
A new operating system for the car’s infotainment screen means customers can download apps directly to the vehicle rather than mirror from their smartphone
Under the boot floor is a ‘Megabox’ storage compartment. This gives the Ioniq 3 a class-leading 441 litres of luggage space
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Inside, the Ioniq 3 also get Hyundai’s latest Android Auto-based Pelos operating system that sits within a 12.9-inch infotainment screen.
It allows owners to download apps directly to the car, rather than having to mirror from their smartphone – though that functionality will also be available.
It even has a clever cupholder; its base is deep enough for a coffee cup or soft drink can, but for those carrying larger drink containers, the base retracts into the centre console so a bigger bottle can be lowered into it and not wobble out.
‘With Ioniq 3, we are bringing the bold design, driving enjoyment and advanced features of the Ioniq brand to a broader range of customers across Europe,’ explains Xavier Martinet, CEO of Hyundai Motor Europe.
‘Built for people’s real everyday needs, Ioniq 3 combines an expected segment-leading driving range and aerodynamics with extraordinary levels of space, comfort and practicality. ‘
